Ear cleaning device
An ear cleaning device is provided for removing debris from an ear. In one form, the ear cleaning device includes a shaft, a head connected to the shaft, and a contiguous pocket structure of the head. The contiguous pocket structure includes a plurality of pockets that may be configured to receive debris. In another form, the ear cleaning device has a handle, a bulbous cleaner connected to the handle, and a solid inner core of the bulbous cleaner. The bulbous cleaner has two or more spaced, longitudinal walls disposed outward of the inner core that are configured to remove debris with turning of the ear cleaning device about a longitudinal axis of the device.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/054,720, filed Feb. 26, 2016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/942,267, filed Jul. 15, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,278,030, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
FIELDThis invention relates to an ear cleaning device for removing debris from an ear.
BACKGROUNDOne prior approach for removing debris, such as ear wax, from an ear involves inserting a cotton swab into the ear and manipulating the cotton swab within the ear. Although this approach is commonly used, it has significant problems. For example, moving the cotton swab within the ear tends to smear ear wax against the ear canal rather than removing the ear wax. Further, the cotton swab may push the wax deeper into the ear and/or compact the wax making it more difficult to remove at a later time.
An ear cleaning device is disclosed that provides improved removal of debris from an ear surface using at least one of generally rotary movement of the ear cleaning device against the ear surface and generally linear movement of the ear cleaning device against the ear surface. In one form, the ear cleaning device is an elongate ear cleaning device having a predetermined length, a head, and a contiguous pocket structure of the head including a plurality of pockets. The pockets include edges extending along the length of the ear cleaning device that are configured to lift or scrape debris from an ear surface so that the debris can be captured within the pockets for subsequent removal from the ear. In this manner, a user can advance the head of the ear cleaning device into contact with an ear surface and turn the ear cleaning device about a longitudinal axis thereof. This turning movement causes the longitudinal edges and pockets to be sequentially presented to the ear surface so that the edges lift debris from the ear surface which can then be captured within the pockets. Alternatively or in addition to using rotary movement of the ear cleaning device to remove debris, the user may also utilize linear movement of the ear cleaning device to remove debris from the ear surface. More specifically, the pockets may also have lateral edges extending transverse to the length of the ear cleaning device that are configured to lift or scrape debris from the ear surface. These lateral edges permit a user to advance the head of the ear cleaning device into contact with an ear surface and move the device linearly to lift or scrape debris into the head pockets for removal. The ear cleaning device thereby permits the user to remove and capture ear surface debris with linear movement of the device rather than smearing or compacting as with conventional cotton swabs.
In another form, the ear cleaning device has a bulbous cleaner connected to a handle and a solid inner core of the bulbous cleaner. The bulbous cleaner has two or more spaced, longitudinal walls disposed outward of the solid inner core. The spaced, longitudinal walls extend along a longitudinal axis of the ear cleaning device and are configured to remove debris from an ear with turning of the ear cleaning device about the longitudinal axis thereof. A user may thereby advance the bulbous cleaner into position against an ear surface and turn the device about the longitudinal axis to bring the head longitudinal walls into contact with the ear surface one longitudinal wall after the other to lift or scrape debris away from the ear surface. The ear cleaning device is therefore well-suited for use by persons who instinctively rotate ear cleaning devices to remove ear surface debris. In one form, the bulbous cleaner includes a wall oriented to extend transverse to the spaced, longitudinal walls and configured to remove debris from the ear with longitudinal movement of the device. In this manner, the ear cleaning device provides effective and easy-to-use surface debris removal with either rotary or linear movement of the ear cleaning device.
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The pocket structure 402 includes longitudinal walls 430, 432 and lateral walls 434 that are upstanding from floors 436 of the pockets 404 and generally define the shape of openings 431 of the pockets 404, as shown in
More specifically, the floors 436 have hexagonal shapes with widths 440 while the openings 431 have widths 445 that are smaller than the floor widths 440. The longitudinal walls 430, 432 are also oriented at acute angles 442 relative to the floor 436 such that the longitudinal walls 430, 432 extend inwardly over the floors 436 and form the corner recesses 444 which may serve to trap debris within the pockets 404, as shown in
Another difference between the head 400 and the heads discussed above is that the head 400 has a solid inner core 460 that fills substantially the entire cross section head 400, as shown in
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Another head 1000 for the ear cleaning device 10 is illustrated in
The ear cleaning device 10 can be made from a variety of materials such as plastic, steel, wood, and paper pulp-fibrous. The device 10 can be made of one or more materials. In one form, the ear cleaning device 10 is made of plastic and formed using an injection molding procedure.
While the foregoing description is with respect to specific examples, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations of the above that fall within the scope of the concepts described herein and the appended claims.
Claims
1. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- an elongate body having a unitary, one-piece construction, the body including a pair of ear cleaners at opposite ends of the body, the body including a handle intermediate the ear cleaners;
- at least one ear cleaner of the pair of ear cleaners including an elongate head configured to fit in a human ear;
- an inner shaft of the head;
- a plurality of longitudinal walls extending outward from the inner shaft and along the longitudinal axis, at least one longitudinal wall of the plurality of longitudinal walls having a pair of opposite flat surface portions;
- a plurality of lateral walls outward of the inner shaft and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis; and
- wherein the plurality of longitudinal walls includes first and second longitudinal walls; and
- wherein at least one lateral wall of the plurality of lateral walls extends from the first longitudinal wall to the second longitudinal wall.
2. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the other ear cleaner of the pair of ear cleaners has at least one recess for receiving debris.
3. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the longitudinal walls include a pair of longitudinal walls extending in opposite directions away from the inner shaft.
4. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the lateral walls each extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
5. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the head includes a leading end portion and a trailing end portion; and
- the longitudinal walls extend from the leading end portion to the trailing end portion.
6. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the ear cleaning device is made of an inedible material.
7. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the head includes a pocket defined at least in part by two of the longitudinal walls and two of the lateral walls.
8. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the head includes pockets defined at least in part by the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls.
9. The ear cleaning device of claim 8 wherein the pockets include columns of pockets aligned along the longitudinal axis.
10. The ear cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the head includes a leading end portion, a trailing end portion, and an intermediate portion between the leading end portion and the trailing end portion;
- a first of the lateral walls extending outward from the inner shaft a first distance at the leading end portion of the head;
- a second of the lateral walls extending outward from the inner shaft a second distance at the trailing end portion of the head; and
- a third of the lateral walls extending outward from the inner shaft at the intermediate portion of the head a third distance greater than the first distance and the second distance.
11. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- a handle having opposite ends;
- an ear-cleaning utensil at one end of the handle;
- an elongate head at the other end of the handle, the head configured to fit in a human ear;
- the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil, and the head having a unitary, one-piece construction;
- an inner shaft of the head;
- a plurality of longitudinal walls extending outward from the inner shaft and along the longitudinal axis;
- a plurality of lateral walls outward of the inner shaft and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the head includes a pocket defined at least in part by two of the longitudinal walls and two of the lateral walls; and
- wherein the pocket has an enclosed interior and a single opening for access to the enclosed interior of the pocket.
12. The ear cleaning device of claim 11 wherein the pocket includes a closed end adjacent the inner shaft and the single opening is opposite the closed end.
13. The ear cleaning device of claim 11 wherein the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls define a plurality of pockets including the pocket, the pockets aligned in columns along the longitudinal axis.
14. The ear cleaning device of claim 11 wherein the longitudinal walls include a pair of longitudinal walls extending in opposite directions away from the inner shaft.
15. The ear cleaning device of claim 11 wherein the lateral walls each extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
16. The ear cleaning device of claim 11 wherein the head includes a leading end portion and a trailing end portion; and
- the longitudinal walls extend from the leading end portion to the trailing end portion.
17. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- a handle having opposite ends;
- an ear-cleaning utensil at one end of the handle;
- an elongate head at the other end of the handle, the head configured to fit in a human ear;
- the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil, and the head having a unitary, one-piece construction;
- an inner shaft of the head;
- a plurality of longitudinal walls extending outward from the inner shaft and along the longitudinal axis, at least one longitudinal wall of the plurality of longitudinal walls having opposite flat surface portions;
- a plurality of lateral walls outward of the inner shaft and extending transverse to the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the longitudinal walls include a pair of longitudinal walls and at least one lateral wall of the plurality of lateral walls connect the pair of longitudinal walls;
- wherein the head includes a leading end portion, a trailing end portion, and an intermediate portion between the leading end portion and the trailing end portion;
- a first of the lateral walls extending outward from the inner shaft a first distance at the leading end portion of the head;
- a second of the lateral walls extending outward from the inner shaft a second distance at the trailing end portion of the head; and
- a third of the lateral walls extending outward from the inner shaft at the intermediate portion of the head a third distance greater than the first distance and the second distance.
18. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- an elongate body having a unitary, one-piece construction, the body including a pair of ear cleaners at opposite ends of the body and including a handle intermediate the ear cleaners;
- at least one ear cleaner of the pair of ear cleaners including a head configured to fit in a human ear;
- an inner shaft of the head;
- a pair of longitudinal walls of the head extending along the longitudinal axis, each of the longitudinal walls having a pair of opposite flat surface portions and an outer scraping edge;
- a pair of lateral walls of the head extending from one of the longitudinal walls to the other longitudinal wall; and
- wherein the lateral walls extend outward from the inner shaft of the head.
19. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the other ear cleaner of the pair of ear cleaners has at least one recess for receiving debris.
20. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the lateral walls extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
21. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls define a rectangular opening.
22. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the head has a bulbous shape and the scraping edge of each of the longitudinal walls includes a curved portion.
23. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the ear cleaning device is made of an inedible material.
24. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the head includes a pocket, the pocket defined at least in part by the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls; and
- an opening of the pocket defined at least in part by the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls.
25. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the longitudinal walls extend outward from the inner shaft.
26. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the head includes a plurality of pockets;
- wherein each of the pockets include a closed end adjacent the inner shaft and an open end opposite the closed end.
27. The ear cleaning device of claim 18 wherein the head includes pockets aligned in columns along the longitudinal axis and wherein one of the pockets is defined at least in part by the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls.
28. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- a handle having opposite ends;
- an ear-cleaning utensil at one end of the handle;
- a head at the other end of the handle and configured to fit in a human ear;
- the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil, and the head having a unitary, one-piece construction;
- a pair of longitudinal walls of the head extending along the longitudinal axis, each of the longitudinal walls having a pair of opposite flat surface portions and an outer scraping edge; and
- at least three lateral walls of the head extending from one of the longitudinal walls to the other longitudinal wall;
- wherein the head includes a plurality of pockets aligned in a column along the longitudinal axis, the pockets including the pair of longitudinal walls and the at least three lateral walls; and openings of the pockets defined at least in part by the pair of longitudinal walls and the at least three lateral walls.
29. The ear cleaning device of claim 28 wherein the head includes an inner shaft; and
- wherein a pocket of the plurality of pockets has a closed end adjacent the inner shaft.
30. The ear cleaning device of claim 28 wherein the lateral walls extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
31. The ear cleaning device of claim 28 wherein the openings are rectangular openings.
32. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- a handle having opposite ends;
- an ear-cleaning utensil at one end of the handle;
- a head at the other end of the handle, the head configured to fit in a human ear;
- the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil, and the head having a unitary, one-piece construction;
- a pair of longitudinal walls of the head extending along the longitudinal axis, each of the longitudinal walls having a pair of opposite flat surface portions and an outer scraping edge; and
- a pair of lateral walls of the head extending from one of the longitudinal walls to the other longitudinal wall;
- wherein the head includes an inner shaft and the longitudinal walls extend outward from the inner shaft.
33. The ear cleaning device of claim 32 wherein the head includes a plurality of pockets having closed ends adjacent the inner shaft.
34. The ear cleaning device of claim 32 wherein the head includes a plurality of pockets aligned in a column along the longitudinal axis;
- wherein one of the pockets is defined at least in part by the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls.
35. The ear cleaning device of claim 32 wherein the lateral walls extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
36. The ear cleaning device of claim 32 wherein the longitudinal walls and the lateral walls define a rectangular opening.
37. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- a handle having opposite ends;
- an ear-cleaning utensil at one end of the handle;
- a head at the other end of the handle;
- the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil, and the head having a unitary, one-piece construction;
- a pair of planar, longitudinal walls of the head extending along the longitudinal axis, each of the longitudinal walls having a pair of opposite surfaces and an outer scraping edge;
- a pair of lateral walls of the head extending from one of the longitudinal walls to the other longitudinal wall; and
- wherein the head includes a trailing end connected to the handle, a leading end opposite the trailing end, and a disc-shaped portion of the leading end having a convex outer surface.
38. An elongate ear cleaning device having a longitudinal axis, the ear cleaning device comprising:
- a handle having opposite ends;
- an ear-cleaning utensil at one end of the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil including at least one recess;
- an elongate head at the other end of the handle, the head configured to fit in a human ear;
- the handle, the ear-cleaning utensil, and the head having a unitary, one-piece construction;
- the head including a trailing end portion connected to the handle and a leading end portion opposite the trailing end portion;
- an inner shaft of the head;
- a plurality of longitudinal walls extending outward from the inner shaft and along the longitudinal axis, the longitudinal walls extending from the leading end portion of the head to the trailing end portion;
- a plurality of lateral walls outward of the inner shaft and extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- wherein the lateral walls are perpendicular to the inner shaft;
- wherein the longitudinal walls include a pair of longitudinal walls extending in opposite directions away from the inner shaft;
- wherein each of the longitudinal walls includes a pair of opposite flat surface portions and an outer scraping edge.
39. The ear cleaning device of claim 38 wherein the leading end portion of the head includes a disc-shaped portion having a convex outer surface.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Feb 1, 2019
Date of Patent: Jun 29, 2021
Patent Publication Number: 20190159936
Assignee: Quest Products, LLC (Pleasant Prairie, WI)
Inventor: Richard Carl Olson (Deerfield Beach, FL)
Primary Examiner: Majid Jamialahmadi
Application Number: 16/265,072
International Classification: A61F 11/00 (20060101); A61B 17/24 (20060101);